Prep Charter overpowers Simon Gratz

Prep Charter scored an easy 77-32 victory Friday over host Simon Gratz in a battle of the Public League Class AAA girls' basketball leaders, but the Huskies know that coach Paul Rieser won't make it easy for them in practices in the waning days of the regular season.

With the weather having caused his team to miss a couple of key nonleague games that he purposely scheduled late in the season to prepare for the postseason, Rieser warned his team that practices could get a little tougher.

"They may be looking at some 21/2-, 3-hour practices after our game with West Philadelphia on Monday," said Rieser, who earned the 100th win of his six-year tenure at Prep Charter last week.

"Thanks to the snow, we've got to get our legs back under us."

The win over the Bulldogs was the 14th in 15 games for Prep. The Huskies, 10-0 in the Public League and leading the White Division, are ranked fifth in Southeastern Pennsylvania by The Inquirer. Their only loss was to Bishop McNamara in the Blue Star Tournament at Upper Dublin on Jan. 16.

Prep spotted Gratz a 4-2 lead then scored 22 of the game's next 28 points to take command. Kahleah Copper scored 10 of her game-high 24 points in that stretch. Many of them came off the Huskies' pressing zone defense.

Copper received plenty of help with scoring, as Nyderra Lee (13), Tiffany Johnson (12), Yasmine Montgomery (11), and Cierra Nimmons (10) all hit double figures.

"Coach told us we needed to go hard," Lee said. "He didn't want us to force anything but play with purpose. No fooling around."

Gratz, the leader in the Red Division, fell to 8-2 in the league. The Bulldogs became the first team to break the 30-point mark against Prep Charter.

"I told them I wanted them to keep their heads high," said Gratz's second-year coach, Tammy Exner. "I wanted them to finish strong."

Exner said she wasn't sure where she would be next season, because Gratz is scheduled to become a charter school, operated by an outside agency.

Exner's three seniors - Bianca Anderson, Sherie Satchel, and Edie Kinkead - were honored at halftime. Satchel had 13 points to lead the Bulldogs.

"I'd like to be back with the girls," Exner said, "but we'll have to wait and see."

The Huskies will open the Public League Class AAA playoffs Friday against Mastery Charter, and Gratz will play University City in its first playoff game.

Last season, Prep Charter reached the District 12 championship game before bowing to Archbishop Carroll of the Catholic League. The Huskies lost a squeaker to Villa Maria Academy in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.

"We'd like to do better this year," Rieser said.

Prep Charter   17 21 16 23 – 77

Simon Gratz   777 11 – 32

PC: Tiffany Johnson 12, Kahleah Copper 24, Ericka Sowell 2, Nyderra Lee 13, Yasmine Montgomery 11, Bria Young 4, Indiah Cauley 1, Cierra Nimmons 10.

SG: Bianca Anderson 9, Sherrie Satchel 13, Fateema Anderson 4, Brittany Shuford 2, Erica Moody 2, Jenay McCrary 2.